This year, International Youth Day focuses on inclusion. IOC Youth Leader Omar Bassyouni explains how he uses table tennis to fight inequality and improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Omar Bassyouni has been playing table tennis since he was five years old. For more than 20 years, he has enjoyed the many physical, social, and emotional benefits of playing the sport. Today, he assures that others can do the same.
Responsible for the development of this sport together with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), Omar Bassyouni is also part of the Young Leaders Program of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Supported by its founding partner, Panasonic, the initiative provides aspiring social entrepreneurs with seed funding, as well as learning and mentorship opportunities to launch projects that harness the power of sport to make a difference within their communities.
For Omar Bassyouni, it is about promoting inclusion and reducing inequalities in his hometown of Alexandria, Egypt, through the release of “Ramp-Up!” – a table tennis academy that allows people with disabilities to come together to practice this sport in a safe and accessible environment.
“I really wanted to support my community, because I saw the positive impact of practicing sports for the disabled in certain European countries and I wanted to recreate this same atmosphere here. [en Alejandría]”, Explain.
And he continues: “We offer table tennis sessions to people with all kinds of disabilities. We provide all the adapted material, an accessible place and, sometimes, we also organize transportation for those who have difficulty moving. For this reason, we offer them all the necessary conditions so that they have the possibility of practicing this sport, that is, the same possibilities as people without disabilities.
We want them to be socially included, not excluded, and that is why we have created this atmosphere where everyone can play table tennis safely and where everyone can be sure that they have that opportunity and that they can really change their lives. life”.
In developing his “Ramp-Up!” initiative, Omar Bassyouni was inspired by his work with the ITTF. In fact, he first saw the power of disability sports when he participated in the African Para Table Tennis Championships in Agadir, Morocco in 2015.
“It was the first time I watched for table tennis,” he says. “This experience had a huge impact on me. I really saw how sport can empower everyone, how it can change lives, how it can raise awareness, and most importantly, how it can achieve many people’s dreams. I have had the opportunity to see how athletes with disabilities overcome all the challenges and difficulties they encounter and manage to get the most out of them for their daily lives. .
And to add: “You could see the passion, you could feel the motivation in the competitions. It inspired me greatly, that’s what I also try to offer to the members of my community”.
Sport, a powerful tool to reduce inequalities
Having seen first-hand the positive impact that table tennis can have, Omar Bassyouni strongly believes in the sport’s ability to contribute to solving pressing societal problems, especially those highlighted by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations. , such as the reduction of inequalities.
“Sport is a very powerful tool when it comes to promoting the SDGs and supporting communities,” he said. “Through this program, I think we can contribute to social inclusion and also raise awareness about inequalities [en nuestra sociedad], because awareness is a very powerful tool here. In fact, many people are not aware of the problems faced by people with disabilities.
The Paralympic Games as a catalyst for change
The continued promotion of the Paralympic Games has played a key role in inspiring others to think differently about disability, and the Games often act as a catalyst for change within host countries, particularly when it comes to improving disability. accessibility and awareness.
With two years to go until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the event is already being used as an anchor to help the French capital become a more inclusive and accessible destination. The local authorities have also shared their ambitions around three strategic areas: improving accessibility, access to sport and the active participation of people with disabilities in the life of the city.
All of these goals are shared by Omar Bassyouni, who hopes to have a similar impact in Alexandria and throughout Egypt through the evolution of his “Ramp-Up!”
“I want to do it on a larger scale, I really want to reach everyone,” he says. “I want participation to increase and raise awareness. I really want all sports facilities in Egypt to be accessible.”
And to conclude: “I want the athletes’ accommodation to be more accessible. I want the streets to be more accessible to all wheelchair users. And I want to send this message to the communities of my country: small simple adjustments can open big opportunities for all people with disabilities.”
The IOC Young Leaders Program
As he looks to expand the reach of his ‘Ramp-Up!’ initiative, Omar Bassyouni is grateful for the support he has received through the IOC Young Leaders Programme, a program he joined to promote 2021-2024.
As he himself put it: “The first year was basically a research phase for our projects, and that helped me a lot. We attended many sessions with experts, who really supported my idea. At the time it was just an idea, but then I was able to bring it to life and it took the form of a social enterprise, and we also received a lot of support from the IOC Young Leaders Program team.”
Launched in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders Program gives young people the opportunity to harness the power of sport to make a difference in their communities. To date, thanks to seed funding from the IOC and a network of mentors, these young talents have carried out more than 140 projects around the world, using sport to promote issues such as education, social inclusion, sustainability and welfare. The projects have already directly benefited more than 30,000 people.
As a founding partner, Panasonic has supported the IOC Young Leaders Program since 2017 by providing additional funds, which are used as grants, providing audiovisual materials, and producing powerful narrative films to promote the program and the young leaders themselves.
